Accusations and Sentencing Demands in Valencia Case
A prosecutor has requested the maximum penalties permitted by law in a case unfolding in Valencia. Four boys, aged 15 and 16 at the time, stand accused of assaulting two 12-year-old girls inside an abandoned house in the center of Burjassot on the evening of May 16, 2022. The filing outlines a proposed sentence that would place three of the defendants in a closed regime center for five years, followed by four years of supervised release. The sole defendant who was 17 at the time faces a slightly different combination of measures: six years in prison and three years of supervised release. Taken together, the government is seeking a substantial cumulative punishment for all charged actions. This is in line with prior reporting by Levante-EMV, part of the Prensa Ibérica group, which documented the extended sentencing request (Levante-EMV).
The Public Ministry also proposed an educational measure designed to address sexual education and equality, to be applied during supervised freedom. When detention ends, a restraining order would forbid the defendants from approaching or communicating with girls within a 300-meter radius for two years, regardless of the circumstances.
A question remains about a fifth individual who reportedly participated in the incident. He could not be charged criminally because he was under the age of 14 at the time, the minimum age for criminal responsibility in Spain, and he shared the same age as the victims during the events. This minor was involved alongside the other accused, but his status complicates the legal proceedings (Levante-EMV).
Accusations and defenses
The Children’s Prosecutor’s Office filed provisional penalties, noting that more than a year and a half had elapsed since the events. The judge’s decision followed the arrest of one individual in relation to the case, who soon became the first to join the proceedings. Despite the severity of the penalties requested by the prosecution, four suspects are currently under investigation but remain free until the hearing schedule is set (Levante-EMV).
Temporary notes and accusations are being prepared. On one side, Juan Carlos Navarro and Isabel Carricondo are named as representatives of the mother of the victim group that alleges sexual assault by three minors. On the other side, lawyer Juan Molpeceres represents the parents of the girl involved in the individual sexual assault claim. The defendants’ defenses are expected to argue that any sexual activity was consensual, a line they have pursued previously.
News from the day after the events indicated that the minor victims encountered some youths in Burjassot, were taken to a basement of an abandoned building in the town’s central area, and that what began as mutual kisses escalated into alleged violations. The two girls, aged 17 and 16 at the time of the incidents, reportedly told their assailants they did not want what followed, but prosecutors allege that their refusals were ignored and the assaults continued (Levante-EMV).
Concerning the confrontation and aftermath
The prosecutor states that the two primary attackers stopped only after they heard noises outside and then left the building. Three friends of the first two defendants, aged 16, 15, and under 14, joined the scene. The two initial suspects left, but the other three allegedly ensured the girls were brought home safely. One of the victims recorded a brief clip of what happened and later left the residence; the other was visibly distressed and also fled. The mother of a third girl alerted the Burjassot Local Police, but officers struggled to locate the building because the child could not identify it clearly (Levante-EMV).
What followed, according to the prosecutor, was a coordinated group attack on the girl kept in the basement. The report describes multiple assaults, with the two older youths restraining and silencing their victims as others joined in. Over the ensuing days, authorities began making arrests, though initial steps were cautious as the investigation unfolded (Levante-EMV).
PINs, memory gaps, and investigative challenges
During the proceedings, the defense highlighted difficulties caused by memory lapses related to access codes on mobile devices. The claim of forgotten PINs coincided with arrests, complicating the police’s ability to access digital evidence such as images or videos tied to the sexual assaults. The publication notes that retrieving testimony and conducting Gesell sessions with the victims, with appropriate psychological support to avoid re-victimization, stretched the process beyond a year (Levante-EMV).
The delays in psychological care and the judge’s cautious handling were criticized for potentially affecting the victims’ recovery. The delay also meant the girls faced extended periods without formal psychological support. The court’s approach sought to balance the need for thorough evidence with the risk of retraumatizing the victims, a matter discussed by prosecutors and defense alike (Levante-EMV).
Vox co-founder and related commentary
The case touches on broader political discourse, including commentary linked to Vox and its founders. Media coverage has noted that statements and online posts from prominent figures were condemned by local legal authorities, Facua, and family representatives of the victims. The ongoing legal proceedings in another court continue to address these rebuttals and ensure that they do not prejudice the core case before the Valencia courts (Levante-EMV).